Mechanical wire descaler



R. TRIMARCHI Sep. 1, 1970 MECHANI CAL WIRE DESCALER Filed Aug. ll, 1967 United States Patent Office 3,526,059 Patented Sept. 1, 1970 3,526,059 MECHANICAL WIRE DESCALER Raifaele Trimarchi, Jersey City, NJ., assiguor of onehalf to Paul Magarelli, Bogata, NJ. Filed Aug. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 659,908 Int. Cl. B24b 7/00, 9/00 U.S. Cl. 51-5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present inventon relates generally to removal of scale and rust from Wire and more particularly a method and apparatus for mechanically breaking the scale on Wire and removing it and rust by abrasion.

Metallic Wire whether heat treated or otherwise generally oxidizes and has scale formed thereon. This scale is generally removed before the Wire is processed into finished products. The scale is removed by pickling, chemically or mechanically.

Mechanical descaling and cleaning of Wire has generally been by brushing the Wire which is a relatively inelfective method of cleaning Wire. The brushes tend to Wear and are not effective throughout each circumferential section of the Wire. Mechanical Wire cleaning apparatus is also known using steel Wool packing in a steel box through which the rod or Wire is advanced longitudinally. Other mechanical apparatus includes the use of steel balls in a tilted box. The box is rocked longitudinally of the Wire to eifect a scrubbing action between the balls and the Wire or rod which results in mechanical deformation of the Wire and sometimes breaks it. Each of the known mechanical techniques and apparatus have a major disadvantage in that they are substantially ineffective to completely clean the Wire and Will in most cases result in a reduction of the diameter of the Wire being cleaned and descaled. The Wire is reduced in diameter because it must generally be subjected to excessive tension forces `or due to the mechanical Working of the parts on the Wire.

It is a principal object of the present inventon to provide a Wire descaler for mechanically breaking the scale on Wire and abrading the Wire.

A feature of the inventon is the provision of a rotator assembly comprising a rotatably driven elongated container in which is contained in operation an abrasive material for abrading the Wire circumferentially and longitudinally While it is advanced longitudinally through the container and the abrasive material. 'Ihe container is provided with a system of bafiles effective to rotate and retain the abrasive material in close contact With the Wire and bearing thereon circumferentially to carry out efiective abrading circumferentially and longitudinally of the wires.

Another feature of the inventon is the provision of a mechanical Scale-breaker system comprising a plurality of breaker rollers disposed in respective planes bending and flexing the Wire so that each angular or circumferential section of each length is mechanically bent thereby positively breaking the scale over the entire surface of the Wire before it is subjected to abrading.

The apparatus in accordance With the inventon provides a simple construction which carries out tumbling of abrasive material for cleaning the Wire. The known tumbling techniques have the material or parts being cleaned tumbled and in the apparatus in accordance with the invention the abrasive material is tumbled While permitting continuous movement longitudinally of the Wire without tumbling thereof. The apparatus includes no breakable parts and there is no possibility of overloading the unit or motor as may happen when the parts themselves are being tumbled. Moreover, the apparatus does not overtension the Wire or mechanically damage it nor reduce its diameter.

Other features and advantages of the mechanical Wire descaler in accordance With the present inventon Will be better understood as described in the following specification and appended claims in conjunction with the following drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a mechanical Wire descaler in accordance With the inventon;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a Wire descaler in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along section line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

The term Wire as hereinafter used includes rigid rods and bars and bendable rods. The term Wire is not limited to any particular type of metallic material.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 a Wire 1 is taken from a delivery reel 2 and advanced longitudinally through a scalebreaker system of rollers 3 and through a rotator assembly 4 having a base as shown and is taken up by a rotatably driven take-up reel 5. It Will be understood that the Scale-breaker 3, rnounted on the rotator assembly 4, can be used in conjunction With the rotator assembly 4 or independently thereof and likewise the rotator assembly 4 can be used Without the need of the system 3, for example in descaling of rigid rods, however, a preferable embodiment makes use of both components to maximize scale and rust removal from the Wire being processed. Moreover, When rigid rods are being scaled the reels 2, 5 are not needed.

The Wire 1 is advanced longitudinally through a guide 9 and over a first breaker roller 10 where it is subjected to bending and passes over a second breaker roller 1.2 disposed in a second plane normal to a first plane m which the first roller is disposed. The Wire passes over the second roller and moves on to a third breaker roller 14 disposed in a third plane normal to the second plane and parallel to the first plane and then moves down- Wardly to a fourth breaker roller 16 which is in a fourth plane parallel to the second plane in which the second roller is disposed and, of course, normal to the first mentioned plane. The Wire is then advanced upwardly over the periphery of a fifth roller 18 in the first plane.

The axes of rotation of the five breaker rollers are spaced in three dimensions and it can be seen that the Wire is bent over a part of the periphery or circumference of the individual rollers in such a manner that each circumferential or angular portion of the Wire is subjected to bending along the entire axial length of the =Wire. The relative relatonship of the breaker rollers insures that each part of the angular circumferential areas along each length of the wires are subjected to flexing and bending that is positively effective to break scale thereon.

After passing through the roller system the Wire is guided through or over a guide 30 through a tubular drive shaft 32 supported on bearings 33, 34 having sheaves 36 fixed thereto and driven by belts 38 from motor pulleys driven by a motor 39. The drive shaft 32 is fixed to a container 40 driven rotatably and supported on the bearing 34 and another bearing 42 supporting a rotary hollow shaft 43 coaxial With the tubular shaft 32. The rod or Wire 1 extends axially into and through this hollow container and-passes outwardly thereof through the hollow shaft 43 under a guide 45 Where it is taken up by the take-up reel 5, which is driven by means not shown.

The container 40 is an elongated container rotatably driven at about forty to eighty-seven revolutions per minute. Within the container is contained ,abrasive material 47. The container is approximately three-quarters filled With the abrasive material which may be, for example, aluminurn oxide. The abrasive material is made of large granules which are sufiiciently large so as not to be measurable by mesh size.

The container has a polygonal cross-section and is illustrated as having an octagon configuration. In the example illustrated the octagon is about twelve inches across and has an axial length in the order of about five feet for processing Wire or rod 'V32 to 'A inch in diameter. The nterior of the container is provided with a plurality of elongated baflles 50 disposed intermediate corners of the polygon formed lby flat sides 52 of the container. The bafiles are normal to their respective sides of the container and extend inwardly toward the axis o'f rotation of the container in the order of about one inch and divide the container into elongated spaces 54 which are diametrically opposed.

The baffles are effective to rotate and maintain the abrasive material in direct bearing contact With the Wire 1 extending axially therethrough so that abrading takes place circumferentially and longitudinally of the Wire as it is continuously moved longitudinally through the container and abrasive material. The speed of the rotation of the drum or container must be in the range heretofore described in order to insure that there is suflicient abrading to clean the scale. If the speed is too slow the surface rust is not elimnated. This rust is generally found underneath the scale.

The container is provided with flat sides 52 one of which is formed as a full length door 55 provided with a full length hinge 56 and locked by Wing nuts 57 along the side of the drum. The sides 52 of the drum are provided With a plurality of holes or openings 60 spaced axially on the container to allow scale to fall out of the container. These holes may be, for example, fyfi in diameter.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the Wire or rod is descaled and the rust, which is under the Scale, removed therefrom by a new method in which the Wire is abraded Without tumbling of the Wire itself and preliminarily positive breaking of the scale and partial descaling takes place by bending and flexing the wire in each angular extent thereof along the 'full length of the Wire being processed.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described it will be understood that many changes can be made within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to -be secured by Letters Patent 1. A mechanical Wire descaler for mechancally breaking scale on Wire and descaling thereof comprising, a rotator assembly comprising an elougated container driven rotatably in operation for containing in operation an abrasive material for scrubbing Wire circumferentially and longitudinally to remove scale therefrom, means for guiding Wire to be descaled longitudinally of the nterior of said container and through said abrasive material While said container is rotatably driven in operation circumferentially of said Wire and said Wire advanced longitudinally through said container and through abrasive material therein, said container being at least half-filled With abrasive material, and means projecting inwardly in said container effective in operation to continuously retain said abrasive material close to and frictionally bearing circumferentially of and longitudinally of said Wire during roi tation of said container in operation and longitudinal advancement of said Wire therethrough, thereby to elfect a scrubbing action on said wire effective to remove scale therefrom.V

.2. A mechanical descaler according to claim 1, including a system of scale-breaker rollers comprising five rollers over which said wire travels and having axes disposed spaced in three dimensions, a first pair of said rollers disposed in a common plane, a second pair of rollers disposed in parallel pl-anes normal to said common plane, and a fifth roller disposed in a plane normal to the last-mentioned plane and parallel to said common plane.

3. A mechanical Wire descaler according to claim 1, in which said means in said container to retain said abrasive material close to and 'bearing circumferentially of and longitudinally of said Wire comprise a plurality of bafiies extending inwardly into said container and longitudinally thereof defining spaces therebetween diametric'ally opposite to each other and effective to move said abrasive material from upper spaces to lower spaces =as said container is rotatably driven and retain said Iabrasive material from moving outwardly away from said Wire longitudinally of said container.

4. A mechanical Wire descaler according to claim 3, in which said container defines 'a polygon in cross section, and in which a ibaflle is disposed intermediate each pair of corners of said polygon. I

5. A mechanical Wire descaler according to claim 4, in which said container comprises flat sides, and in which said bafiles are normal to a respective one of said flat sides.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,639,758 5/1953 Heller 72-183 X 2,239,5 4/ 1941 Statz 51-5 2,703,550 3/1955 Bell 51-5 X 1,692,864 11/1928 Rich et al. 51-13 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,194,808 6/ 1963 Germany. 519,072 1-0/ 1953 Belgium.

JAMES L. JONES, JR., Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 72 -40 

